College of Letters and Science Faculty Document No. 590 April 12, 2001 Recommendation of the Ad Hoc Committee for Cletic Studies and the Academic Planning Committee to Establish a Center for Celtic Studies Recommendation: That the Faculty of the College of Letters and Science approve the establishment of a Center for Celtic Studies as described in this document, effective September 2001. Center for Celtic Studies Background For many years, an informal "Center for Celtic Studies" has been evolving in the College. Faculty and staff members from UWM, over the years, regularly have offered courses under a variety of curricular rubrics that have elucidated for students a wide range of topics related to today's cultures that share Celtic roots (i.e. the Irish, Scots, Welsh, Manx, Cornish, Bretons, and Galicians). Representatives of community organizations have come to view the Celtic Studies "program" at UWM as a coordinating "center" for Wisconsin's Celtic culture. In large part, this stems from the long-standing relationships that many of our faculty and staff have developed with people and institutions in the Celtic world, both within the US and overseas. For the past 15 years, UWM has hosted the Irish Fest Summer School, which currently attracts over 500 registrants per year. The University has sponsored long-standing study abroad programs to Celtic lands, including the Columbcille Semester and opportunities for language immersion in one of the Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking) areas of Ireland. The interest in Celtic Studies in the U.S. and abroad has been bolstered by a remarkable transformation taking place among Celtic peoples. During the 1990's the concept of a non-territorial "Celticity," arising within a global diaspora of over 100 million people, began to be articulated by influential people like Mary Robinson, former Irish President and current UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. The Irish, Welsh, Scots, Manx, Bretons, Cornish, and Galicians no longer see themselves simply as members of their own insular societies or even just the broader European club. They feel a shared ethnic and experiential identity with one another and believe that they, as a definable culture, have a role to play on the broader world stage. This pride and confidence, coupled with an economic boom, has led to several government initiatives to sponsor Celtic-related study programs. The Irish government has already recognized the strength of UWM's programs in language, literature, and study-abroad programs by offering to fund an instructor to augment the Gaelic language programs. The pan-Celtic Council of the Isles is seeking educational partnerships. There are several other such initiatives that an organized Center could explore. The strength of interest in and commitment to Celtic culture in Milwaukee and Wisconsin provides a fertile environment for the continued development of the symbiotic relationship that already exists between the University and the Community. The Irish community began supporting scholarships and lecture series at UWM over 30 years ago. As a result many of the key coordinators of Irish Fest met in the Irish Studies program and have remained in and continued to serve this community. Currently, Irish Fest is providing scholarships and funds for guest lecturers at UWM. The impressive growth of Celtic-related community events in the Milwaukee area is evidence of a widespread and active base of community interest, one that will undoubtedly continue to support our programs. Appendix A provides a partial list of some of the more well known Celtic cultural resources in Wisconsin with which the Center will work to develop strong ties. Within this context of a strong faculty, the probability of international support, and the assurance of community support, the Ad Hoc Committee on Celtic Studies proposes to formalize the structure of the Center for Celtic Studies, which has functioned in a de facto manner for so many years. Description The Center for Celtic Studies (CCS) will provide a unifying framework for educational activities, community service, local and international partnerships, information gathering and dissemination, and a variety of other activities relating to Celtic culture. Broadly defined, the goals of the CCS include the following: provide a focal point for the UW System's integration with the Celtic community; provide an organizational structure able to take advantage of government initiatives that fit UWM's goal of expanding international education; contribute to the breadth and depth of knowledge that the University provides for its students through the development of high quality undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education programs appropriate to a major urban university; encourage and facilitate research and scholarship in Celtic studies that will enhance the University's standing as a doctoral institution of academic and professional excellence; contribute to the internationalization of the UWM campus community; To accomplish its goals, the Center will be active in many facets of university and community life. The following is a partial list of the activities in which the Center will engage: administer a certificate program in Celtic studies (under development); develop an active partnership with the Cultures and Communities branch of UWM's Milwaukee Idea; expand the curricular offerings of a strong Irish studies program to encompass a pan-Celtic focus, assisting faculty to develop courses of special interest; work to reestablish the scholarship and lecture funding formerly provided to the Irish Studies program by the local Irish community; develop a web calendar on which information concerning Celtic-related university and community activities is recorded; work with the Overseas Programs and Partnerships office of the Center for International Education (CIE) to increase the variety of opportunities for UWM students to study and intern in Celtic countries; support study abroad efforts through the establishment of UWM regional centers in the Celtic world; assist CIE in attracting visiting faculty and students from Celtic countries to UWM; strengthen UWM's links with the Council of Isles, a government body that represents the Celtic regions in the British Isles, which sponsors educational and cultural initiatives (e.g.): Turas na Bhfili, an annual gathering of the poets of the Celtic world, modeled on the 18th< century courts of poetry the Columba Project, a joint Irish and Scots Gaelic University Center on the Isle of Skye; develop a distance learning component of the Center that can provide access for UWM students to courses and events in the Celtic world; strengthen the University's library, special collection, archival, and museum holdings that relate to the Celtic world, and make them accessible to scholars everywhere; develop exchanges that will permit UWM students to learn Celtic languages and culture from experts who hail from Celtic regions; cooperate with professional organizations such as the Celtic Congress and the American Conference for Irish Studies to attract speakers of international renown to UWM and other system campuses; assist the Milwaukee County Historical Society to develop the Jeremiah Curtin House as a North American Gaelic Heritage Center; contribute the expertise of UWM faculty members to the efforts of the Irish government to stimulate economic development in underdeveloped regions; develop cooperative agreements with specific partner institutions in the Celtic world. Justification There is a growing population of university scholars at UWM with teaching, research, and service interests in Celtic culture (see Appendix B). Given the concomitant growth of the student and community populations with a desire to access this same arena, UWM finds itself with a sturdy base of support for the Center for Celtic Studies. The field of Celtic contributions to culture and politics of North America remains relatively unexplored, and the intense interest in discovering and highlighting those contributions is evidenced by the rise of numerous Celtic festivals, the nationwide broadcast of radio program such as Thistle and Shamrock, the expansion of Celtic-focused web sites, and a myriad of other cultural references in our society. But it is not just a desire to satisfy this growing interest in Celtic culture that prompts this proposal. The Celtic world offers a unique laboratory for the examination of issues of critical importance to the world of the 21st Century, including peace and conflict studies; international politics; education; the arts; local, regional, and national development; economic infrastructure. A strong foundation of linkages with the wider Celtic world already is in place. Negotiations with the government of Ireland concerning the foundation of several learning exchanges continue. In recognition of the more than 25-year tradition of teaching Irish and Welsh in the Milwaukee area, resulting in the establishment of a very active branch of the Gaelic League here, the Ministry of Gaeltacht already has offered to send a teacher and native speaker of Gaelic to UWM to teach language classes. This same ministry is interested in tapping the expertise of UWM's School of Business to mentor business development and to provide business education in the Gaeltacht areas. A role for UWM in a program called "Breaking the Cycle" also is under discussion. This initiative targets grade schools in poor urban and rural areas. The research, service learning, internship, and other opportunities available to faculty and students in this kind of context of cooperation that is already well established are invaluable. The Governor's 1998 Task Force on International Education for Wisconsin's Citizens, among many other recommendations, stressed particularly the need to develop the means of improving the global awareness of the people of our state. The Celtic world is an ideal place in which to undertake this charge. It is readily accessible. Linguistic and cultural barriers are minimal, while facilities in Celtic countries are welcoming, safe, and well equipped. By establishing the Center and formalizing its coordinating role for the plethora of Celtic related activities and programs already mentioned, the University will utilize its resources more effectively, avoiding duplicative efforts through better communication and extending services and programs to the widest possible audience. The time is right to formalize a structure around the functions that the Celtic studies faculty and staff have been serving for so many years. Organizational Structure The Center for Celtic Studies (CCS) will be housed in the College of Letters and Science. A half-time director, appointed on an annual basis by and reporting to the Dean, will administer the Center. A Center administrator (25% time) will assist the director in managing the business affairs of the Center. CCS will share a full time program assistant with the Ethnic Studies program. Any faculty and staff members with demonstrated expertise and interest in Celtic studies may be affiliates of the Center. A list of those who already have expressed a desire to be CCS affiliates is attached as Appendix C. Several other individuals who have expressed an interest in developing courses in Celtic studies currently are being interviewed for available faculty positions. The director of the Center will be advised by the Center for Celtic Studies Advisory Committee, a committee of seven members of the faculty and staff who are affiliates of the Center. The structure and functions of the Advisory Committee are spelled out in the attached draft committee charter (see Appendix D). Funding In November, 2000, Ireland's Minister of State pledged support of the expansion of Irish Studies at UWM with a grant of L15,000 a year for two years. To secure this grant, the University and the State each are required to provide a match of L15,000 annually, and another matching sum is to be raised from the private sector. These funds, in part, will support hiring Irish teachers to offer classes in Irish/Gaelic at UWM. The details of the Center's budget are outlined in Appendix E. Raising external funds to support the ambitious program of activities envisioned for the Center will be one of the major responsibilities of the Center's staff. Draft #4, 2/26/01 Appendices Appendix A   Draft Proposal for Certificate Program in Celtic Studies Appendix B   Celtic Cultural Resources in Wisconsin Appendix C   UWM Faculty and Staff Members with Teaching/Research/Service Interests in Celtic Studies Appendix D   Charter of the Center for Celtic Studies Advisory Committee Appendix E   Proposed Budget for the Center for Celtic Studies Appendix B Celtic Cultural Resources in Wisconsin The Billy Mitchell Highland Pipe Band The Robert Burns Society The Cashel-Dennehy Irish Dancers The Celtic Cultural Center (Madison) Celtic Women International Sponsors of annual symposia with internationally recognized women active in Celtic literature, art, and politics. Conradh na Gaeilge (The Gaelic League, Curtin branch) Promotes Irish language classes and activities throughout the state; sponsors language immersion weekends. The Cornish Society of Wisconsin The Irish Cultural and Heritage Center of Wisconsin Home of the Irish Genealogical Archives Community venue for meetings, theater, music programs, and lectures The Irish Geneaological Society of Wisconsin The Milwaukee School of Highland Dance Milwaukee Irish Arts Presents literary, theater, and visual arts Milwaukee Irish Fest, Inc. Sponsors of Irish Fest Home of the John Ward Music Archives Community venue for meetings, theater, music programs, and lectures The Shamrock Club of Wisconsin Past sponsors of scholarships and symposia at UWM The St. Andrews Society of Milwaukee Sponsors of the annual Milwaukee Highland Games The Waukesha St. David's Association (also one in Madison) The Welsh Women's Club of Milwaukee The Wisconsin Manx Society The Wisconsin State Gymanfa Ganu A Welsh cultural society with approximately 15 local branches The Trinity Irish Dancers Internationally recognized as one of the finest troupes in Irish dancing today Appendix C Faculty Members with Teaching/Research/Service Interests in Celtic Studies Bettina Arnold Associate Professor   Department of Anthropology/Archaeology John Gleeson Senior Lecturer Ethnic Studies Program William Holahan Professor Department of Economics Sharon Keigher Professor Department of Social Work Judith Kenny Associate Professor Department of Geography Jose Lanters Associate Professor Department of English James Liddy Professor Department of English Michael Liston Associate Professor Department of Philosophy Genevieve McBride Associate Professor Department of History Mickey Noonan Professor Department of English Marcia Parsons Professor Department of Theatre and Dance/Dance Ruth Schwertfeger Associate Professor Department of Foreign Languages and Linguistics/German Leroy Stoner Associate Professor Department of Theatre and Dance/Theatre Nancy Madden Walczyk   Senior Lecturer Department of English Appendix D Charter of the Center for Celtic Studies Advisory Committee Membership. The committee consists of nine to ten members, including the following: Center for Celtic Studies affiliates, at least three from the College of Letters and Science, all appointed by the Dean of L&S to three-year, staggered terms (voting); Three members of Celtic community groups (voting); Director of the Center for Celtic Studies (ex officio, non-voting); Coordinator of the Certificate Program in Celtic Studies, if different from CCS director (ex officio, non-voting). Chair. At its first meeting of the new contractual academic year, the Committee will elect, from the voting membership, a chair to serve until the last day of that academic year. The Committee also may elect a co-chair to serve in the absence of the chair. Vacancies. Vacancies in the Center affiliates positions shall be filled by appointment of another representative, determined by vote of the remaining members of the committee. If the position of chair becomes vacant, it shall be filled by the elected co-chair, if any, for the remainder of the academic year. If no co-chair has been elected, the committee shall elect a new chair as the first order of business at the meeting at which the vacancy is announced. Subcommittees. The committee may establish ad hoc or permanent subcommittees to consider special matters within the general functions of the committee. The membership and functions of the subcommittees are expressed in writing and approved by a majority vote of the committee. Subcommittees may include as voting members faculty members, members of the academic staff, and students, provided that at least one member of the parent committee is a member of the subcommittee. The full committee must approve recommendations of a subcommittee before those recommendations are forwarded to the Dean or departments, as appropriate. Functions. To oversee the functioning of the Center for Celtic Studies; to develop and regularly review a mission statement for the Center in the context of UWM's mission and strategic plan; to serve as liaison with Celtic cultural resource groups throughout Wisconsin; to develop and annually update a strategic six-year plan for the Center; to seek sources of outside funding to support Celtic Studies and the Center; on its own initiative, to consider such other related matters as the committee may from time to time deem appropriate, provided that such matters, to the extent that it is possible to determine, do not fall under the jurisdiction of another committee of the College. to meet at least once each semester and to keep minutes reflecting all formal actions taken at each meeting; to review and adopt the Center's annual report to the Faculty, based on a draft prepared by the Center's director; to undertake, every fifth year, a formal review of the Committee's structure and functions and record its conclusions in a report to the Dean. Quorum. A quorum shall be defined as four voting members of the committee. APPROVED: Appendix E Center for Celtic Studies Budget